The Start of a New Future
by funkdaddy2012
Summary: Korra is off to college at Republic University, where the good, the bad, and the ugly can and will occur. Bolin, a local boy living on the streets, gets offered an opportunity at a full ride to Republic University. When they meet, who knows what will happen? AU Borra. M for later stuff.
1. A Good Start

_**Hey guys, so I decided to create an AU Borra. There isn't enough and even though I know that it isn't canon, it's still my favorite pair. Enjoy, but fair warning: this is one of my first fics. Comment your thoughts; I'm open to criticism. I don't own The Legend of Korra (obviously T.T )**_

_Thoughts look like this_

Chapter 1: A Good Start

"I can't believe my baby's going off to college!" Korra's mom cried out, as she read over the acceptance letter. "You're growing up so fast, and now you're moving out! We'll have a party and invite everyone we know…"

"Mom, relax," Korra laughed, cutting her off. "I'll still be in town for the next month or two to pack my things, say bye to friends. You know. The works."

"I know honey but I'll still miss you," the older woman replied with a small sigh. Korra grinned at her mother and walked over to her sleeping dog sleeping on the couch. _I'll miss you, Naga. I don't think they allow pets in the dorms at Republic University._ The dog perked up and licked Korra's face at the touch of her hand.

Korra sighed and sat down on the other end of the couch. The last few weeks had been exhausting. After struggling with school work and preparing for finals, she had completely forgotten that she had sent multiple schools applications. Finals were in a week, and she had been studying names, dates, formulas, and vocabulary for the past 9 days until her head had started spinning. Korra had a 3.9 GPA, and she wanted to keep it up. She was known as one of the best and brightest of South Pole High, and she wanted to keep that up.

"Korra got accepted to RU! I know! Full scholarship, too! I am too. That's why we're hosting a party this weekend at our house. Yep. Alright! See you then!" Korra looked at her mother who was sitting in across the room. _Already sending out invites. That's mom for ya… _

"Honey, do you want pizza at the party? Or catering? Oh what the heck, we'll have both! Oh I'm so happy for you!"

"Mom, please don't make a big deal out of it. I'm going out to meet a friend, so don't go crazy."

"But honey, it is a big deal! You're going to college with a full ride and I'm supposed to just sit here? I don't think so! I can't wait to tell your father."

"Bye, Mom," Korra laughed as she walked out the door. The town wasn't that big, so it didn't take her that long to get to the local café, where her friend Bianca was waiting. As soon as Bianca saw Korra, she grinned and waved at Korra. Korra waved back and ran over only to get a big hug.

"What was that for?" Korra asked.

"What do you mean, what was that for? You got accepted to your first choice college on a full scholarship!" Bianca exclaimed. "You should be the one screaming and hugging and generally making a fool of yourself, not me."

"You know I don't like making a big deal out of things," Korra replied with a smirk. "I leave in a month, so could you help me choose which clothes to bring?"

"Girl, I'm thinking of flying out to Republic City to help you shop over there too. All you have are these long clothes made for the cold. It's not as ice-y up there, you know."

"I know," Korra grinned, "But I want something from home. It snows every once and a while."

Korra and Bianca spent the next half hour catching up and guessing how many cute guys there would be up north, but were cut off when a honking sound startled them. Korra's dad called out to her from the car, telling her that it was time for dinner. Korra and Bianca hugged again and made promises for another meet later. As Korra sat in the car on the way home, she looked out the window at the setting sun, and felt both a feeling of nervousness and a feeling of excitement. College would be something she would be looking forward too.

_**So I know it's not very long, but I promise that it will get longer as time goes on. Next chapter we will see some of Bolin. Please follow and favorite!**_


	2. A Change of Pace

_**Hey guys, so I decided to create an AU Borra. There isn't enough and even though I know that it isn't canon, it's still my favorite pair. Enjoy, but fair warning: this is one of my first fics. Comment your thoughts; I'm open to criticism. I don't own The Legend of Korra (obviously T.T)**_

_Thoughts look like this_

Chapter 2: A Change of Pace

Bolin strolled down the street whistling some song he had heard earlier that had just stuck. There was no way he could know what the song's name was or who the singer was, but he liked the tune. It was catchy. _I'll add it to the list of songs I'll buy when I actually have money_.

He loved music. He loved the way that it flowed, the patterns. Though hard to master, the end result of making music was beautiful. He didn't care that much for country music, but he still respected it as a form of music.

"Hello, Bolin," an old woman said, kindly.

"Why hello ma'am," Bolin replied, cheerfully, "How is your day going?"

"I'm doing fine, Bolin, but I could really use some help with these groceries," the old woman sighed. "I'm just getting so old. My back can barely take half of the load, much less all of it."

"Why don't I help you with that, then," Bolin exclaimed. "Just tell me where to take them and I'll carry them for you."

"Aren't you sweet? I need to carry the groceries to a house just down this road. Building 4506. Just put the groceries on the front porch please."

"Right away!" Bolin said, grinning. He loved helping people, even though HE was the one who needed help. He was a street orphan, living with his older brother in the outskirts of town. His brother went to work in the factory, which gave him just enough money to buy them some bread and clean socks. Bolin picked up the groceries, and started walking in the direction that the old woman had pointed. The groceries were heavy, but he could take the load.

Before, he had been working for a shipping company. He helped unload all the trucks. The company couldn't afford to buy unloading machinery, however, so Bolin and some other men had to lift everything manually. The work paid off, since Bolin ended up getting a strong, toned body that made the ladies turn their heads. That is, until they learned that he was a homeless, poor orphan. People in Republic City didn't care much for the street urchin.

The company had been forced to fire Bolin after the higher ups had cut money from the budget. After that, Bolin walked up and down the street, looking for any work to do, but not because he needed the money. His brother made enough of that. He did it because sitting around doing nothing was so BORING. So he helped out whenever he could, doing odd jobs such as helping hold a crate for a man unloading his truck or, right now, helping little old ladies by carrying their groceries to their house.

"Alright here it is," Bolin grunted as he set the load onto the front porch. He stood up and cracked his back. The walk had been longer than he thought, and he had broken a sweat carrying the bags in the hot summer heat.

"Thanks Bolin," the old lady chirped, as she unlocked the door. "That'll be all." The old lady grabbed the groceries and carried them inside with no problem, then turned and briskly slammed the door in Bolin's face.

Bolin sighed. He was used to seeing the door slam shut in his face, but he wasn't use to the feeling of disappointment and betrayal when he only got a vocal reward for his work. He knew he shouldn't expect anything, but he would have _accepted_ anything. He turned and walked down the steps and started walking in the other direction when he heard someone call out his name.

"Bolin! Hey! Bolin!"

Bolin turned and saw Mako, his older brother, running towards him. Mako looked excited about something, and that was totally out of character. Normally, he looked serious and sullen all the time, either tired from work or deep in thought about something.

"Hey, Mako. What's up? Something happen at work?" Bolin asked as Mako slowed to a halt, panting.

"No, nothing happened at work. We didn't have work today because the President and Council are making an important announcement! Which is about to happen! We need to go the square!"

"OH! Well, let's go!" Bolin exclaimed. All thoughts of betrayal and disappointment were quickly replaced by excitement and curiosity. He had always looked up to the council. Especially Tenzin. He was a hero to him. Always calm, cool, and collected. Loved by his family. Son of Avatar Aang. The list just went on and on.

Five minutes of running later they had made it to the town square. The front of town hall was surrounded by reporters and photographers, which were held back by the Chief Beifong's Police Force. Chief Beifong herself was standing next to the podium, which meant that what was about to be announced had the potential to start a riot. The reporters, which up to then had been talking at the volume of a dull roar, were now shouting at the top of their lungs as Tenzin walked up to the podium. Bolin's eyes widened as he saw his hero, but noticed that Tenzin and Beifong exchanged a quick look of resentment aimed at each other. _What was that…?_

"QUIET PLEASE," Chief Beifong shouted. She needed no mic, as the mere presence of her frightened many. Immediately, the reporters shut up, but many had started messing with their equipment, preparing to record whatever was about to occur.

"People of Republic City," Tenzin began, "I come with an announcement that may cause shock to many of you, however we felt the need to give this issue some attention.

"The amount of orphaned children has become drastically lower after the end of the wars, however, the current orphans are now old enough to go off to college. The Council will be hosting a testing session tomorrow afternoon here for any orphans between the age of seventeen and nineteen. The top twenty of those orphans will get a full scholarship to Republic University."

The reporters started shouting again. In fact, it was more like screaming. One voice raised over the others.

"The orphans have had no formal education. What makes you so sure that the orphans have the knowledge to get into a school such as Republic University?"

Bolin was wondering this question too. He had gone through high-school and had received a formal education. Because he was working, he missed graduation, but he had received his diploma after paying a visit to the school office, much to the annoyance of the moms.

"The test will go over the basics. The deeper into the test they go, the more complex the problems will get. By the time they get to the end of the test, they would have completed the equivalent of final exams from all 4 years of high school, standardized tests, and one college level exam. This is not an easy test. We only want the best," Tenzin replied. "No more questions."

The police started yelling at the reporters to disperse, which was obeyed reluctantly. Beifong turned to escort Tenzin back inside when a woman yelled out, "NO URCHANS IN OUR SCHOOLS!" The woman ran at the police, who quickly put her in cuffs and dragged her to the side. Tenzin turned, furious.

"Everyone has a right to a proper education!" He boomed, "And no one has the authority to take away anyone's rights! If you have a problem, you can take it up with ME." The reporters had begun scribbling furiously into their notepads, while others were going over their footage of the new proclamation made by the councilman.

"Bolin," Mako said, putting his hand on his brother's shoulder, "You are going to take that test. You are the smartest person I know and I know that you will do alright. I'm annoyed though that it's so soon. You'll have no time study…"

"Mako, it wouldn't matter even if I did have time. We're not allowed in libraries and we're certainly not allowed back on the high-school campus. Don't worry about me. I'll take the test and I'll try my best." Bolin reassured his brother. He turned and looked back at Town Hall, which was now almost empty, except for the few stragglers vainly hoping for another speech from Tenzin. As Bolin stared at the building that would change his fate, he saw movement in the upper left window. He squinted, looking closer. He could just make out the outline of a man hugging another figure, then turning around to shake the hand of a third silohuete.

Bolin shook his head and started grinning from ear to ear. He was getting a second chance, and he needed to go back to their hideaway so he could get some sleep. He had a big day tomorrow.

_**So that ran a whole lot longer than I expected, but that's fine, right? Next chapter we'll go to the party that is being held for Korra. Even though I posted this chapter really quickly, I wouldn't expect it to be the same in the future. I have school, and lots of papers coming up. I'll try my best though. As always, please leave a review and if you want, favorite the story. I will appreciate any kind of constructive criticism. Have a good one!**_


	3. The Lonely Walk Home

_**Hey guys, so I decided to create an AU Borra. There isn't enough and even though I know that it isn't canon, it's still my favorite pair. Enjoy, but fair warning: this is one of my first fics. Comment your thoughts; I'm open to criticism. I don't own The Legend of Korra (obviously T.T) Also, I'm taking away character thoughts. It breaks up the flow of a third person story. If you want thoughts back, though, ask and you shall receive!**_

Chapter 3: The Lonely Walk Home

The party was going full blaze. Everyone in town had come to Korra's party at the town center and everyone was having a good time. Even though Korra insisted that no one needed to bring gifts, everyone brought something. Cards with checks stacked at least a foot tall, piles of boxes with random items created a small mountain behind the table, and a good meaty bone for Naga sat with ever increasing multitude. Korra was exhausted, but exhilarated. This party was for her, and she was the center of attention. She was just about to get some more punch when her father came up with a huge smile on his face.

"Do you like the party, Korra? Wow, you got a lot of gifts…" Chief Tonraq exclaimed as he saw the table.

"I love the party, but I told people that I didn't need any gifts," Korra sighed. She didn't mind the attention, but when it got to a certain point it became uncomfortable.

"I know. But, it's because everyone's proud of you. I have a gift for you, actually, if you don't mind." Her father replied, smirking.

"Oh dear… alright, where is it?" Korra asked, slightly worried. Her father had the tendancy to make_ everything_ a big deal. Sometimes in a good way, sometimes in a bad way. He was almost like a child. He would get excited about everything and anything, and he was certainly excited right now.

"It's out front, waiting for you," Tonraq said with a sneaky grin, "but you may need this. Open the box."

Korra frowned in confusion and opened the small box that her father handed her. "Oh my gosh! Dad!" she yelled as she stared at the small, metal key with the Future Industries logo imprinted on it. "You didn't buy me a car!" Now the entire room was smiling and cheering as Korra ran up and hugged her father in a huge embrace. Korra ran outside to see a long, red sports car with silver rims and leather seats. It was a beautiful car, and Korra fell in love with it at first sight.

"It's the latest and greatest from the mind of Mr. Sato," Tonraq stated. "Do you like it?"

"I LOVE IT!" Korra exclaimed, jumping up and down with excitement. She circled the car, admiring it from all sides, but as she stared at the beautiful curves of the car, a look of confusion spread across her face. "But how will I get her to Republic City? I can't drive there. In fact, how did you get it here?"

"I brought it," an unfamiliar voice said. He was tall, wearing a military uniform. "I'm General Iroh. I was just about sail down to visit a friend of my grandfather's when I received the call from your father. I brought the car, and will be escorting you and the car back to Republic City."

Korra breathed a sigh of relief. She hugged her father one more time and thanked the general for his help and walked back inside. The party was dying down, and while no one had left yet, more people were calming down and sitting in chairs that had been spread around. Korra found a bunch of her girlfriends and sat down to relax. The DJ had stopped spinning tracks and was taking a break, leaving an automated playlist going. Korra was about to fall asleep on Bianca's lap when her phone buzzed, signaling a text. As Korra was pulling out her phone, she heard Eliza ask her, "So did Chad ever talk to you? I haven't seen him at the party and I _know_ your mom invited him and his family."

"No, but he just texted me, asking me to meet him at the café. I'll be back soon," Korra yawned as she climbed over Bianca. She walked the normal route to the café, where she saw Chad sitting. Chad had been her steady boy-friend since the start of freshman year, but because he was inheriting the family business, he had to stay in the south. After the second semester of senior year started, he had started becoming increasingly distant. Korra figured that he just wanted some alone time, which was fine. Korra had asked for that a lot and Chad had given it to her with no hard feelings. She was nervous, though, as she sat down in front of him. She was reminded of how she felt on their first date. Butterflies racing around inside her stomach."

"Hey, Korra," Chad said. "Thanks for meeting me here."

"No problem. So what was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"I wanted to talk about us." There it was. Now the butterflies in Korra's stomach were racing around the track like they were at Daytona. "I think we should break up."

Korra felt a mix of feelings. She and Chad had been together for four years and now he just wanted to break up? And why now?

"Oh." Korra mumbled. "Is that why you've been so distant lately? Is it another girl?"

"No, no, no. Korra, I will always love you," Chad reassured, "but let's face the facts. I can't leave and you'll be in a whole different continent. Probably for the rest of your life. I know I'm not the best guy for you so when you get there, I don't want you to think that I'm tying you down. I want you to be happy."

Korra sighed. She knew that he was doing it for her, but she still felt like someone had sliced her heart in two. "Ok. We'll still be friends, though, right?" she asked, meakly.

"Of course we will. And know that if you want to come back, I'll be here." Chad said, smiling. He got up, and Korra did too. They embraced, Chad soon letting his arms fall back to his sides, but Korra holding it out longer.

"I'll miss you. You're a great guy." Korra said as she finally pulled back.

"Do you want me to walk you back to your party?"

"No, I think I'm just going to go home. The party had technically been over for a while now, actually."

"Ok. Good night, Korra"

Korra turned and started walking back. Now she felt cold, even though the warm summer breezes from the sea were whistling softly through the trees. She felt alone. Korra looked up at the stars and sighed. The adventure was about to begin, and she already felt sore and defeated. In two weeks, General Iroh's ship would take her over to Republic City, a place which was full of people she didn't know and streets she wouldn't be able to navigate. There was a long journey ahead of her, but for now she just wanted to get home and sleep.

_**Another long-ish chapter. I hope y'all are liking it so far. Shout out to ComradKing (first follower) and AlphaWolfMegan (first favorite)! Y'all are awesome! Next chapter will be Bolin's exam. Wish him (and me) some luck! Until next time! ;P**_


	4. With the Touch of a Pen

_**Thank you those who have left the reviews! I never expected this big of a response, but I'm not complaining! So many views for in just 4 days! I'm so happy and would like for all of you to know that I'm writing this for y'all. Enjoy!**_

Chapter 4: With the Touch of a Pen

Bolin was nervous as he walked toward the town hall the next day. His brother had snuck him into his work place the night before and let him take a shower in the locker room. The night had been fitful, and unpleasant. People knew where he slept, and every once and a while some passerby would call out "Trashy" or "Urchin" in his direction. Bolin hadn't slept well that night.

He had no idea what to expect. Was he supposed to bring a pencil? Would there be a break or would the test be all in one sitting? Where would he take the test? How long was the test? All of these thoughts swum around in Bolin's head as he turned the corner.

Bolin gasped. There were _hundreds_ of people gathered on the square outside of the building. Bolin had never thought there would be that many people homeless and without a job. As Bolin joined the crowd, Tenzin walked out of Town Hall and spoke into a microphone. "Greetings! I'm glad all of you could show up. I will now tell you the rules of the test and the testing procedure." The crowd slowly simmered down. No one talked and all heads turned toward the podium.

"When you enter the building behind me, you will see a console. Type in your name and sign the bottom. Then, press the red button to the right of the console. You will have three seconds to turn and look at the camera, which is above the red button. This is ensure the identity of the test takers. If you get selected, then the photo of you will be used to help ensure your identity.

"You cannot talk during the testing period, and you cannot leave the room once the test has begun. Pencils will be provided. Please line up single file and enter the building," Tenzin concluded. "I wish you all the best of luck." Bolin grinned as Tenzin waved and walked back into the Town Hall. The crowd erupted as everyone started talking again. The huge horde of people now crowded against the front doors and Bolin was at the back of the line.

Eventually, Bolin made it up to the console. After following the instructions, he walked into the room that was labeled "TESTING ROOM #1". He grabbed a pen from a box near the door and sat down. When the last of the test-takers had sat down, the proctor handed out a single piece of paper to everyone.

"BEGIN," the proctor boomed. The sound of papers flipping over filled the room. Bolin turned his paper over and stared at the sheet. At the top of the paper, there was only one question.

_Write down your story. Write down what the circumstances that lead to you being where you are. Why, among the others here, should we let you in?_

Bolin sat there, gaping at the page. What? What is this? He had expected a standardized test, not an essay. But, he had no time to spare. He grabbed his pen, but what was he going to write? Bolin didn't want to pour his life story onto the page, but that was what the question asked. Suddenly, Bolin knew what to do. He smiled, and started writing.

One hour later, Bolin stood up and handed the sheet of paper to the proctor. He hadn't been the first to finish, but he wasn't the last. Bolin nodded to the proctor, who nodded back. When Bolin walked out, he saw big, long tables set outside, covered in food. Tenzin was standing next to a smaller table that was stacked with plates. "You there!" Tenzin called out, pointing at Bolin. "Come, and eat!" Bolin grinned and walked down the steps of the town hall.

"Thank you for the opportunity, sir," Bolin said, and stretched out his hand. Tenzin smiled and shook Bolin's hand.

"You're very welcome," Tenzin replied. "I wish the best of luck to you. Please, enjoy the meal. All you can eat." Bolin's eyes grew as he stared at the table. It was more food than he had ever seen! He started piling everything that he could grab onto his plate. Chicken, fish, salad; nothing went untouched as Bolin made his way down. Benches were set up around the outer area of the square for people to sit and eat, and Bolin made his way over.

* * *

Bolin felt very full and content that evening. He had brought food home for Mako, who ate and almost immediately fell asleep. Bolin stared up at the stars, waiting for the next day to come. A list containing the top 10 test takers would be posted on the Town Square forum the next morning, and those 10 would move on to the next stage in testing. Tenzin had explained it all to him as Bolin was eating. Bolin started grinning again. Tenzin, his hero, had eaten lunch with him! And had talked to him! It was almost like a dream. He fell asleep, with food in his belly and hope in his mind.

The next morning, Bolin practically sprinted to the forum. The list was posted at seven o'clock that morning, and it was already nine. Lots of people were either walking away, grumbling or sobbing. Bolin pushed people out of the way as he tried to get a good look at the list. Bolin's eyes grew big and he started cheering out loud as he saw his name at the top of the list. He was thrilled! He was close to getting a new life!

Bolin continued reading the page. Another kid named Kai had been selected, and he was right underneath Bolin's name. "I wonder who Kai is," Bolin muttered. He glanced quickly at other names, but the others didn't seem that important to him. At the bottom, there was a short box of text that explained when the next phase of testing was, which was in four hours. Bolin was a little shocked at the speed at which they were proceeding through, but he wasn't surprised. The school year was starting in almost 3 weeks. It took at least one week for students to learn the campus and move into the dorms. Bolin wouldn't have anything to move, but learning the campus was important.

The four hours passed quickly, and soon Bolin found himself in the testing room once again. This time, a ten page standardized test was placed in front of Bolin, which he breezed through. He was halfway finished, however, when a young boy stood up and handed the test to the proctor. The kid turned around and winked at Bolin. Bolin scowled and continued working. No one else turned their test in before Bolin, and soon he was finished. He walked out of the building for a second time, worried that he had let that kid get under his skin.

"Yo, you must be Bolin," a young, cocky voice called out. Bolin turned and saw the kid leaning on the railing of the steps. "I'm Kai. Nice to meet you. I was wondering when you would finish."

"Nice to meet you too," Bolin smirked. He liked the kid. He had guts. Not many street folk were so bold, and yet here was Kai introducing himself like he was the king of the world.

"I hope I get in. Even though I'm only 13, I'm still smarter than most people. I was adopted when I was younger, but when the people who took me in found out that I was a thief, they kicked me out. I had gotten a formal education, but was expelled after my old family left me," Kai explained. "I want to show them that I can get along just fine without them."

"My parents were killed by a mugger when I was young, but I was able to go to a public high-school," Bolin said, but went quiet. He didn't like talking about his past. Kai, on the other hand, seemed perfectly open about his life.

"They'll announce the results in an hour. Wanna go grab some dinner? I'll pay. I snagged some money from some people that passed by me in the market place," Kai asked. Bolin shrugged. He was a little hungry. It was only three o'clock, but the test had drained most of his energy.

"Sure," Bolin said. They walked over to a café that sold some sandwiches and ordered. Bolin didn't talk much, but Kai was soon yapping away. Bolin half ignored him, but when Kai mentioned Tenzin, he perked up. "What about Tenzin?"

"His daughter, Jinora. I used to go to school with her, and I heard she was going to skip high-school and go to Republic University, just like me. That's also kinda why I wanna go…"

Bolin smirked and continued eating his sandwich as Kai rambled on about Jinora. The hour was almost over, but they were just outside Town Square. "Come on, Kai. Let's head back," Bolin said, standing up. Kai frowned, then glanced at the time.

"Oh yeah, ok. Let's go!" Kai exclaimed. He left some money on the table and took off with Bolin close behind him. The other 8 test takers were gathered around the front of the building, and surrounding them were a swarm of reporters. Tenzin was standing behind a podium, facing the growing crowd. Bolin and Kai pushed through the line of reporters and joined the others right as Tenzin began.

"I'd like to personally congratulate all of you. Out of hundreds, you ten are the ones who stood out to me and the other council members. However, there has to be someone who makes it. The University of Republic City has graciously allowed another spot to open up. Two of you will be selected to receive a full scholarship to the university, and the other eight will be given 50,000 yuan each."

Bolin sighed a breath of relief. Even if he didn't get in, he would still receive plenty of money that would get him and Mako back on their feet.

"The two who have been selected are…" Tenzin paused, allowing the suspense to build. He glanced down at the podium and said: "Bolin and Kai! Please come forward!" Bolin was shocked. He turned and looked at Kai, who was grinning from ear to ear. They walked up and shook hands with Tenzin, who handed them each a letter of acceptance from Republic University. Bolin turned and smiled at the cameras that were flashing at them. He smiled and hollered with Kai as they jumped for joy. The other contestants were being handed cases full of money. They didn't look as happy as Bolin felt, but he knew that getting that much money was more than they ever expected.

When Bolin returned that night to his alley, he was tackled by Mako. "You did it! You're in!" Mako laughed, as he shook his brother's shoulders. "I knew that you could!"

"Will you be ok?" Bolin asked his older brother, "I won't be here anymore…" Bolin trailed off, but Mako just smirked.

"I have a job already, dork. I'll be fine. Now, you will be able to have a new life." Mako sighed and sat down with a thud. It had been a long day, and both boys were exhausted.

"Tomorrow, I'm going to check out the campus with the other winner and Tenzin," Bolin said. "I'll be gone early." Mako just grunted in reply as he rolled over, the exhaustion finally getting to him. Bolin sighed, looking up at the stars as he fell asleep imagining the life of a college student.

* * *

_**So, this got out a whole lot later than I expected, and I apologize. I had school and stuff, but I promise that I was working on the story every chance I got. I wanted it to be longer that the last chapter, but I also wanted it to flow naturally. In the end, when the story fell into place, it was almost twice as long as the last chapter. Next chapter, which I'll start fairly soon, will be the first chapter that we see Bolin and Korra run into each other. Yay! **_

_**I'll apologize in advance: I have multiple papers coming up that might hinder my writing process, and while I'm fairly good at typing up a decent paper in an hour or two, I'd rather focus on school until the papers are done. If the chapter 5 doesn't come out sooner rather than later, blame school. Well, wish me luck on my papers, leave a review (if you please), and until next time!**_


	5. At First Glance

_**Sorry for the wait y'all! Also, shout out to my newest followers Ransor and ShadowFFD! Thank you so much for sticking with my story! This chapter is exciting for me because we see Bolin and Korra interacting for the first time. I'm trying to make the chapter's word count be 2000+, so it might make the wait just a day or two longer. Anyway, here it is now! Enjoy! **_

Chapter 5: At First Glance

Korra was woken up by the sound of a loud horn. For a minute, she forgot where she was. She had a dream where she was playing with Naga on the snowy beaches of her island, but when she looked around and saw the army's logo on the walls, she remembered that she was heading off to Republic City. Korra got up, stretched, and started walking toward the dining area. Since she was on a military boat, the food wasn't anything fancy. She didn't mind though. Food was food, and if it was nourishing, then what the hell, right?

"Korra, good morning!" said one of the engineers. Everyone got up at different times, but the engineers were generally up first. Korra liked them. They were funny, always smiling, and happy to do their job. They liked Korra too.

"Morning," Korra yawned. "What's for breakfast today? More biscuits and gravy?"

"Nope," the head engineer said with a grin, "today, we eat on land! We're 20 minutes away from the shore!"

"Really?!" Korra exclaimed. She jumped up and ran outside to the balcony, where General Iroh was standing.

"What do you think of Republic City?" he asked Korra, who stood gaping at the sight of the glittering lights, the tall statue of Aang (founder of Republic City and war hero), and the huge buildings.

"It's beautiful!" Korra gasped. She had never seen anything like it. All her life, she had lived in her little town. Compared to Republic City, her town was tiny. As she admired the city, General Iroh handed her a set of keys. "What's this?" Korra asked.

"This one," he said, holding up one of the keys, "is the key to your apartment. This one," he said pointing at the other key, "is the key to your car. We'll be landing in about 15 minutes."

"Thank you so much for the trip," Korra said. She was eager to get on shore and head to the campus. The sooner that she moved in and got settled, the sooner she could explore.

Tenzin was personally escorting Bolin and Kai around campus, and Bolin was thrilled. The campus was beautiful. Trees lined the streets, cobblestone sidewalks weaved in between the brick buildings, and large, open parks with lakes and fountains were placed at convenient places around the campus. Even Kai was overwhelmed at his new home. Bolin chuckled at the sight of the talkative Kai left speechless at the wonderful world that they had stepped into.

"You two have been made roommates, so I hope that you two are good friends," Tenzin said, raising an eyebrow. "The dorms are in the southern area of the campus, and the different sections of education are spread throughout the western and eastern areas. The middle is dedicated to things like shops, cafés, libraries, and other leisurely buildings."

"What's in the northern area of the campus?" Kai asked.

"The northern area of the campus is dedicated to the extra-curricular activities. Football fields to theaters, baseball fields to art studios. All are up in the northern area of the campus." Tenzin replied. Bolin sensed that Tenzin was quite proud of this school, and he could see why. Many high-school students applied to this school in the spring, but only a handful ever got in. Republic University was filled with only the top students. Bolin was just a kid off the street. How was he ever going to fit in? "Ah, here is your apartment."

Tenzin pulled their car in front of a tall, brick building. Bolin grabbed his and Kai's bags, all three headed upstairs, and Tenzin opened the apartment door. Kai gasped, and Bolin's mouth fell open. The place was huge! The apartment was a large, furnished open concept living space with lots of natural light, fully stocked kitchen, and two bedrooms. The sight from the windows, which provided a wonderful view of the campus was undeniably spectacular. Bolin put the stuff in the middle of the living room and stretched out on the large leather couch. He was _very _comfortable.

"Bolin," Tenzin called out. Bolin looked over at Tenzin, who was smiling, "do you like it?"

"It's amazing. Thank you so much," Bolin sighed.

"That's great. Here's four sets of keys for the apartment, a spare for both of you. I have some business to take care of, so I have to leave. There's a detailed map of the campus in the kitchen with instructions on how to restock anything you need," Tenzin said. He placed four keys on the coffee table and opened the door to leave. "Good luck. If you need anything, my numbers in the phone book, or you can visit me in my office."

"Good bye," Kai called out from his bedroom. Tenzin smiled and waved, and closed the apartment door. "Dude, you have got to lay on this bed. It's amazing!" Kai yelled out. Bolin sighed. Now he knew how Mako felt when they were younger. Kai was still 13, after all, and Bolin was 17. This would be an experience of a life time.

* * *

An hour after the ship had reached the port, Korra was at her apartment. She had quickly unpacked, and was relaxing on her sofa. She took a quick glance at the clock. _6:30_. So late already! She sighed and grabbed her purse and headed out to her car to try to find a good restaurant before it got too dark. As she drove around, she saw different couples taking walks down the streets. Holding hands, walking arm and arm, all were happy. Korra sighed, remembering how she and Chad would walk down the streets of her home town like that. She missed that life.

Eventually, she found a restaurant that she figured she would like. It was a pretty popular noodle shop, and she parked and entered.

"Good evening, ma'am," a young woman said. "Table for one?"

"Yes, thank you," Korra replied. Looking around, she saw more couples, all sharing bowls. In the corner, however, there was a guy around her age with a boy. Brothers, maybe? The older seemed tired, while the younger was talking incessantly.

"Right this way, ma'am," the hostess said. She led Korra toward the back, closer to the two guys. Korra sat down, and ordered.

"Hey, I'm gonna head back to the apartment."

"Don't break anything. Tenzin would get mad at us."

Korra raised her eyebrow in confusion. The two guys obviously weren't close. Who were they? As Korra's food arrived, she heard the man sigh. She glanced over and saw him pull out a pile of papers, all of which had the University's logo printed on the top right hand corner. "Excuse me," Korra said, tapping the man's shoulder, "are you a professor at the University?"

"No, I'm a student. I start this year," the man said with a grin. "Are you a student too? My name's Bolin,"

"Korra. Nice to meet you. And yes, I am a student. I start this year too," Korra said. She held out her hand for Bolin to shake, which he did. Korra noticed that his hands, though bigger and more callused, were soft and warm.

"Well, I hope to see you soon, Korra," Bolin said with a grin. "If you don't mind, I must get going. My roommate might be tearing up my apartment."

"I hope to see you again, too," Korra smiled back. His eyes were a cool green, and they entranced her.

_BOOM_

Korra jumped at the sound of thunder. She wasn't a huge fan of lightning and thunder, so she was glad she had her car. Bolin stared out the window, his grin melting into a tired, annoyed look.

"I don't have a car, so my roommate and I walked here. I didn't expect there to be rain," Bolin said.

"Oh," Korra said. "Well, I can drive you home, if you want. You'll just have to wait until I'm done eating." Bolin turned around with a happy, surprised look on his face.

"Really, you will?" Bolin asked. He was happy that someone was nice enough to consider him, but was worried that Korra wouldn't like him if she learned he was an ex-street urchin.

"Yeah, it's not a big deal. Come, sit and talk with me," Korra said with a mouth full of food. Bolin jumped into the booth in front of Korra and grinned. They stayed and talked for a good while, and even after Korra finished her noodles, they sat and chatted until the manager told them to get out. Laughing, Bolin and Korra climbed into Korra's car and the two of them sped off toward the apartment complex.

"Which building is yours?" Bolin asked?

"The one with the most stairs, apparently," Korra laughed. They soon arrived at Bolin's building, and Korra parked and got out of the car. "Well, I'm glad I met you Bolin. You're the first person I've met in this city and I'm happy it was someone like you."

"Aw don't mention it. I'm glad I made a new friend," Bolin replied, blushing slightly. Bolin liked Korra. She was funny, and Bolin was always looking for a laugh. "Well, goodnight, Korra," Bolin said with a small smile. Korra smiled back.

"Goodnight, Bolin," she answered. She watched him as he turned and walked into the building. When the door closed behind him, she got back in her car and drove across the street to her apartment. As she passed her mirror by her door, she was surprised to see that her face was a little red. "That's odd," she chuckled nervously to herself. Her heart was pounding slightly, so and her face wouldn't stop smiling. She shook her head and went to bed, thinking about the smiling face of her new friend.

* * *

Bolin had noticed that the lights in his apartment were on, which meant that Kai was either in bed of he wasn't home. Bolin quietly unlocked the door and saw Kai's keys in the bowl next to the door. So he was home. Bolin walked silently to his room and started the shower in his en suite bathroom. As he waited for the water to warm up, he noticed that his ears were still warm, and his heart was pounding fast. He closed his eyes and saw only Korra's smiling face. "She was really nice…" Bolin muttered, but broke out into a small smile, "and really cute. I hope I see her again." Bolin got in the shower and soon after jumped into his bed and fell asleep with a smile on his face.

* * *

_**So how did you like Bolin and Korra's first meeting? Leave your comments and stuff for me to read! It seriously helps and I would love to hear what you guys think. **_

_**School is still pretty hard, but one of the essays that I had to write was easier to write than I thought, so I wrote that one pretty quick. Right after, I turned up the music and started working on the chapter (BTW, if you want to know what I'm listening too, check out my profile. It has my playlist on it). **_

_**Next chapter you'll see Bolin participating in his first class, but some trouble for Korra. What will happen? Sometimes I don't even know and surprise myself. **_

_**Since this story is still pretty short, I am willing to get requests as to where the story will go. If the request doesn't fit right though, I promise I'll write a short story based on your request! **_

_**Well, until next time!**_

_**UPDATE: I haven't written anything in a while because of writers block. Also, my laptop broke. So after I get over the writers block and transfer the files to my new laptop, I will start on the next chapter. If you have any ideas, feel free to message me or leave a review. This story is for y'all, so if you want something done, it will be done. I'm sorry I haven't updated, I really am. School is being an asshole.**_

_**Until next time!**_


	6. A Misunderstanding

_**Hey guys, I know that it's been a while since I've updated the story. I've had a lot of things happen, like my great-grandmother (age 96) had a stroke and passed away. I've also had a large amount of school work that I've had to get done, different tutoring sessions to go to, etc. Basically, I've been busy. **_

_**Some good came from my break, though. I rewatched season 1 of The Legend of Korra for research (multiple times), and am now ready to get back in the game!**_

_**As always, I don't own The Legend of Korra characters in any form or fashion. The story is mine, but that's about it. All rights go to their respected owners.**_

_**Without further ado, here's chapter 6!**_

**Chapter 6: A Misunderstanding**

Bolin walked into the bar tired. The first month of school had been a long road of quizzes, tests, lectures, and homework. He had gotten a car, which was nice, but he wanted a break, and the bar offered one. He walked in and sat down on one of the stools surrounding the bar, smiling tiredly at the bartender. He ordered a beer, something he saved for times like this. He enjoyed alcohol, like most college students, but not to the point that he would get drunk every Friday night. He enjoyed the sting, the cold warmth of the drink. He watched the bartender wipe down the counter and refill drinks as he sipped his beer, just thinking about his life.

It had only been a semester since he turned from a street rat to a popular kid at school. What had happened since then? School had been rough, and getting used to Kai entering and leaving the apartment at weird times was a pain, since he tended to come home from parties at 3 in the morning, when he was trying to sleep, only to leave again once he fell back asleep. The studio loft that they had acquired had been less comfort and more practical than Bolin would have liked, but that had changed when Tenzin had walked in telling him that Kai had been accepted into a fraternity. Bolin helped Kai move out, but now he was lonely and tired.

Bolin tried to remember the last time he had been his cheerful, not stressed self. The obvious answer would have been when he was living with Mako back in the city, but that didn't feel right. There had to be a time later than that, right?

"Want anything else?" the bartender asked Bolin, interrupting his thoughts. He glanced up at the bartender, who was scowling down at him. She was middle aged, tough looking, and very intimidating. Bolin just sighed and asked for another one. He didn't know how he would get back, but he couldn't drive now. He had already had two bottles, and number three clunked down in front of him. He smiled tiredly at the bottle and then asked for the check. The bartender grunted, and walked toward the register.

Bolin blinked multiple times. He was very sleepy, but he had to get home so he could go to bed. He wanted to drive, but he wasn't fit to drive his car. He didn't really know anyone anymore; Kai had been the more social of the two. He pulled out his phone and stared at the screen. He had Mako's number, but Mako wasn't allowed to use his phone at work, and he didn't have a car anyway. He scrolled back up to the top and saw Korra's number. He raised an eyebrow, then remembered that she had put her number in during dinner. He felt heat slowly rush toward his cheeks, but he shook his head and pressed _call_.

* * *

Korra was jogging. She had discovered that this was the best way to get rid of the stress of school after she discovered the gym. It wasn't very popular, since most college students would rather get drunk at a party than work out, but the sports teams usually started their daily work-out there. Korra liked the people watching part that came with using the treadmill. She noticed that, while some people came habitually, most people who made use of the gym participated in the sport of that season. The baseball players, the basketball players, and the lacrosse players all came to work-out, usually when the field was wet and muddy.

She knew the names of most of them, but the players and Korra never really interacted more than small talk on the treadmill. Except for the wide receiver on the football team, Lee. He worked out all year, even after the season was over. He claimed, with a smile, that he worked out because it was prep for next year. He was funny, and Korra liked talking to him. It had started off as a just a friendly hello, but Lee was a bencher, and he needed a spotter. He wasn't really popular, so no one helped him out, and Korra noticed this. While they were running on the treadmills together, one morning, Korra asked him if he needed a spotter. He nodded, and from then on, after an hour of jogging, Korra would help Lee.

That was only in the mornings, though. Her evening routine was relatively shorter, only 30 minutes of jogging. And after a long day of lectures and essays and studying, Korra needed the workout. She entered the gym and started her evening jogging, putting in her earphones and turning the music up loud. She was 10 minutes into her run when her phone rang over the earphones.

She sighed, and answered. "Hello, this is Korra."

"Hey Korra. It's Bolin," the voice on the other end responded. Korra stopped her treadmill and leaned against the side.

"Hey Bolin. What's up?" She asked, a little nervously. Ever since that night, she hadn't really stopped thinking about him. She had only spoken to him a few times, but they didn't see each other that often.

"I'm kinda drunk. Well, not really, but I can't drive," Bolin explained. She sighed, and guessed where this was going.

"You need me to pick you up?" Korra asked. She was willing, but Bolin drinking? He didn't seem like the drinking person…

"Yeah, that would be great. I'm at the Jasmine Dragon."

"I thought that was tea place."

"They opened a bar in the place. It appeals to the college demographic, I guess."

"All right, I'll be there in 10 minutes," Korra said, packing up her bag. She left the gym, waving to the gym attendant, and got in her car. The bar was in the middle of campus, so she started heading south. Why would Bolin be drinking? He didn't seem like that kind of guy. But, they were in college. Perhaps the college life had finally hit him.

She pulled up to the side of the road next to the bar, and stepped out. She walked into the bar, which was almost empty. She looked around. It was dark, and smelled like a bar should. There was a pool table in the back, and an old-timey jukebox in the corner. The bar was in the middle of the room, and wrapped around in a large oval. Bolin was sitting there, and even though he was far away, Korra could see the fatigue etched on his face. He looked up, and gave a small grin. Korra smiled back and walked over to him.

"Hey Korra," he said, getting up. He was in bad shape. Korra could tell that he hadn't slept in a good long while, his clothes weren't smelly, but she could tell they hadn't been washed properly in a while.

"Hey Bolin. You look awful," she replied. He chuckled, looking down.

"Can we go? I don't feel so good."

"Sure," she replied. As they started walking toward the door, Bolin stumbled. He grabbed onto the counter to try to balance himself, grunting as he did so. Korra gasped, grabbed his arm and put it around her shoulders. "You need to lay down."

Bolin stumbled back up. It took a while, but eventually Korra got Bolin in the passenger seat of his car. She handed him a plastic bag and climbed in the driver's seat.

* * *

Bolin blinked, and immediately winced. His head was throbbing, and it hurt like hell. He looked around, groaning in his mind as he swung his legs up and out of the bed he was laying in. In a daze, he made his way out of the room and glanced at his surroundings. He recognized his apartment, but how did he get there? He walked slowly to the living room and collapsed on the couch, sighing as he felt the cushions sink behind him and fell asleep in his hungover state.

He woke up again to the smell of bacon on the grill. Bolin turned toward the kitchen and saw Korra cooking.

"Hey Bolin. I'm glad you're awake," she said, smiling. She was wearing a plain, light blue apron, which fitted her form nicely. Bolin smiled at the sight, but frowned in confusion.

"What are you doing here? Not that I don't want you here, but what are doing here?" Bolin asked.

"Well, you were hungover and I knew that you wouldn't want to get any breakfast, so after morning lectures I came and made you something," Korra explained. She turned back to the stove and flipped the pancakes that were simmering on the pan.

Bolin got off the couch and shuffled to the table. Korra happily sat a plate of pancakes and bacon in front of him. He grinned, and started eating. "I don't remember anything from last night," he sighed. He looked up at Korra and was surprised to see her blushing. "Did something happen…?"

"No, no," Korra quickly answered. She shuffled back behind the counter and started cleaning up. Bolin just shrugged, and started eating. "I washed your clothes, by the way," Korra said. Bolin looked down, and noticed he was wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt; quite a contrast from the button down shirt and khakis he was wearing last night. Bolin blushed as he realized that Korra would have had to have undressed him.

"I didn't change your underwear," Korra quickly stated, who had seen Bolin blush. "I figured you could do that once you aren't hungover."

"Thanks," Bolin said. He wasn't hungover anymore, but he felt sore. "I'm going to go take a shower. Um, if you need to go, just let yourself out, but you can watch TV or something."

Korra smirked. "I'll stay here. I don't have any more classes today, and you don't seem all to stable yet. If you fall over and crack your skull, I guess I'll be the one to get you to back up."

Bolin smiled and thanked her. He climbed into the shower, and turned on the hot water. He sighed, relaxing his sore muscles as the steam built up. He closed his eyes, and just stood there, feeling the hundreds of water drops that cascaded off his back and into the drain below.

* * *

Korra took a deep breath and started cleaning up the apartment. The place was a mess, and she couldn't stand to see the clothes and chip wrappers that just sat there on the ground. She threw away the wrappers and put the clothes in the hamper, purposefully giving little thought to what the clothes _were._ Soon, the living room and kitchen were spotless, the place swept and wiped down. She collapsed on the couch. It was only 11:30, and she was already tired for the day. She closed her eyes and thought about what had happened after she got Bolin home…

_Korra struggled to get the now passed out Bolin through the door. He was going in and out of sleep, which only hindered her. Whenever he was awake, he would flail his arms out and mumble incoherently, and when he was asleep, he became a 190 pound weight that was almost impossible to move. Sure, Korra worked out, but she wasn't a weight lifter, and pulling Bolin was a task that she felt was almost impossible. She noticed he was muscular, and fit. He wasn't a body builder, but he was definitely not in any way slim. She finally got him onto his bed, with him asleep, and sighed. His shirt was covered in unidentifiable stains, so she started unbuttoning it. _

_ Bolin took that opportunity to wake up. "Hey Korra… you look real pretty tonight," he mumbled._

_ "No I don't, Bolin. I'm in my gym clothes," Korra replied. She had experience dealing with drunk people, since her friends down south liked to party. She wasn't a fan of alcohol, but she would drink every once and a while. _

_ Bolin raised his hands and started rubbing Korra's arms. She gently put his hands back down and took off the rest of his shirt. Bolin mumbled something she couldn't quite make out, and fell back asleep. Korra breathed a sigh of relief. She saw that his pants were equally stained, but was hesitant to wash his pants too. "Well, I don't have to take off his underwear. He can wash that himself," she thought to herself. She unbuttoned his pants and tugged them off, trying to avoid looking at his area. Bolin groaned, and sat up again. "Bolin?" Korra asked. He didn't answer, he simply sat there._

_ Korra shrugged and stood up. She turned around and started walking toward the door. Suddenly, Bolin's hand shot out and grabbed her arm. Korra stumbled on a pile of clothes. She fell, landing on top of Bolin. They were caught in an embrace, and drunk Bolin took advantage of that. As she fell, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a kiss. Korra laid there, shocked, but Bolin didn't do anything after that. He simply sighed, and fell back on to the bed unconscious. Korra jumped up, her face turning a deep red, and ran out of the room. She was about to walk out the door, but she felt bad leaving him there without any clothes on. She quickly threw a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt onto him, and ran out the door._

_**So that took a while. I'm so sorry. I kinda had school stuff to do, with papers to turn in and test to study. Also, my great-grandmother died, so I had to go through THAT mess too. But I'm back! I promise that the next chapter won't take as long to write, but it probably won't be a weekly thing. These things take time. **_

_**If you liked the story, please follow and favorite! I'd appreciate any feedback, so please leave a review or PM me. The next chapter will focus a little on Mako's life, and how he's affected by Bolin leaving. Until next time!**_


	7. A Walk in the Dark

**_I am intentionally not making this chapter's story necessary to the overall advancement of the main plot. My friend (who also acts as my personal editor) wanted to have a little insight into the life of Mako and how he was coping with Bolin moving to college. If you don't want to read, don't worry. You aren't missing anything._**

**_As always, I don't own TLoK or any of its characters. I only own the story. All rights go to their proper owners._**

**Chapter 7: A Walk in the Dark**

Mako sighed as he walked back home from work. He had had a rough couple of weeks. Ever since Bolin left, he had felt lonely. He missed the satisfaction of working so he could make money for his brother. Bolin had been the one to keep Mako moving forward. Now Bolin was gone, and Mako was already feeling the temptations that had once plagued him once before.

It was raining, and Mako was tired of walking, but he still had five miles to go. He collapsed on a nearby bench. He shut his eyes and let the raindrops slide off his head and onto his old jacket. He listened to the soft drumming of the water on the garbage cans and roofs around him. Whenever it rained, Mako and Bolin would run to the nearest shelter and fall asleep to the sound of the rain falling to the ground. When Bolin was younger, he would be afraid of the thunder that would occasionally resound off of the walls of the surrounding buildings.

_"Mako, I'm scared," Bolin would say, and look at Mako with his big, round, green eyes. He would climb into Mako's arms and silently start crying. At first, Mako had no idea what to do. His parents would be the one to comfort Bolin. But over the years, he learned what to do._

_ "Bolin," Mako would say, "the thunder isn't yelling at you. He's calling someone."_

_ "Who?" Bolin would ask, quivering, but intrigued._

_ "The sun," Mako would reply. "The thunder is calling out to the sun who was hiding from the clouds. The thunder is sad that the sun is away, so he's crying and calling out to the sun to come back."_

_ Bolin would always smile and fall asleep then, quietly murmuring "Come back, sun." _

Now, Mako was all alone. He turned and walked back toward the square. Maybe some kind store owner would give him a scrap of food. He missed Bolin, and he thought about visiting, but the campus had a strict no homeless people policy. And Mako was definitely homeless.

"Hey kid," a rough voice called out. Mako turned, and saw a tall, muscular guy standing next to him, leaning against the sign next to the bench. "You lost?"

"No," Mako replied, "just waiting out the storm."

"Why don't you come with me? We have shelter, and food," the man suggested. "I'm Chang." Mako shrugged. He knew how to fight, if he needed to. He had no reason to trust this guy, but, then again, he had no reason to trust _anyone_. If this guy was offering food and shelter, then Mako wasn't going to pass up that chance.

Mako followed Chang through some alleyways, half blind because of the rain. After what seemed like an eternity, Chang finally stopped in front of a bar. He walked in, and greeted the few people seated along the wall. Mako tried to avoid eye-contact, keeping his gaze on Chang's feet. They walked into the back, where a man armed with a pistol stood guard to a black door.

"Hey, Lee," Chang called out, "I have someone looking for food and shelter." Lee grunted, and stepped aside, letting Chang and Mako walk by. Chang walked down a flight of stairs to a large, open basement. "Hey Shi-Ling, I found another one," Chang yelled. He turned around and grinned at Mako. "If you go over to that guy, he'll give you some pizza."

"Thanks," Mako mumbled. His feet hurt from all the walking, but the thought of pizza gave him a second wind. He walked down to the guy that Chang pointed to, and smiled tiredly. The guy looked up at him, and then turned to Chang, who gave him a thumbs up. The guy just shook his head and grabbed a plate. He then put the most delicious smelling piece of pizza Mako had ever seen and handed the plate to Mako.

"Here you go," the guy grunted. Mako thanked him, and grabbed the pizza. Before he could dig in, though, he heard a loud bang. He turned toward the sound, and saw a man dressed in a suit walking towards him.

"Hello Mako!" the man shouted. He was fairly tall, with dark brown hair and red eyes. He carried himself with the attitude of a crime boss, and Mako knew the attitude well. Mako stood up, and looked the man in the eye. Something about him seemed familiar. "Remember me?"

Mako squinted, but then he let out a gasp. "YOU! Mr. Fujuko! You made my life miserable!" He clenched his fists and started walking toward him, but was quickly restrained by multiple thugs.

"Oh hush, Mako. I didn't make your life miserable," Fujuko scoffed. He leaned against one of the chairs nearby and pulled out a cigarette. "You did that yourself."

"How did I do that, huh? You stole money from me and put me on the street!" Mako shouted, enraged. He tried to get his arms free, but the thugs holding him back weren't letting go anytime soon.

"Oh Mako, you young child. You don't realize how you hurt everyone you loved?" Fujuko sneered. Mako fell silent, shocked at the accusation. "You were the one who hurt your parents. Your careless drug usage was what got you into debt. You were hunted down, and you got your parents killed. You and your brother had to live without parents. He was traumatized. Maybe for life."

"Shut up!" Mako screamed. He elbowed the guy on the right in the stomach, making him double over in pain. He ripped his arm free and punched the guy on the left in the face, who collapsed on the ground. Mako rushed toward Fujuko, only to be stopped by a quick kick to the face.

"Mako, Mako. I thought you were better at fighting than this," Fujuko said, taking a napkin from a nearby table. He reached down and wiped the blood off of his shoe, sighing. "Because of you, Mako, you make people get their hands dirty. You made Bolin suffer through life on the streets," he declared, kneeling down next to the fallen Mako. "Imagine living a good life, but then having it ripped away because of something your brother did. Now, you're living on the streets, with no home and no family. How would you feel?"

Fujuko started laughing and walked away, his goons following him as he went. "Oh, but enjoy the pizza. It's all yours," he sneered. Mako groaned as he tried to get himself up. His head was ringing and his face hurt. He rolled over and pulled himself to his feet. Chang rushed over to him.

"I swear I didn't know he was going to do that! He only asked me to go get you! That's all!" Chang said, helping Mako stand. "I'm leaving this gang. They have the wrong reasons to do things," he said, quietly enough for Mako to hear. "Let me come with you and help you out. Please?" Chang pleaded, looking at Mako with puppy dog eyes.

Mako glared at Chang for a while, but sighed. Someone to accompany him would be a great help, and he would spend the cold nights alone. "Alright," Mako responded, weakly, "but first, grab all the pizza you can. Then we can go."

Chang grinned and slowly set Mako in a chair. He grabbed a bag and stuffed it with all the pizza boxes he could. He shoved the bag on one shoulder, propped Mako up on another, and both escaped into the night.

**_Hey guys, so I know that this chapter was kinda short and crappy but again, this chapter isn't necessary to the actual story. Now, in the rare event that someone actually wants to know the story of how Mako lived without Bolin, perhaps I'll write a separate thing. But yeah, leave a comment PLEASE on whether or not I should continue a Mako thing._**

**_I'm super sorry I haven't been updating. Exams. That's the only excuse I can make right now. Over the summer I'll try to write a lot more. _**

**_I cannot stress how awesome it feels to read a review from you guys, whether it be bad or good. Any input is good input (at least, that's what I think), and I guarantee that ANY author on here loves it when they see that review notification. SO please review so I know what I'm doing right or wrong! _**

**_Until next time!_**


	8. An Impromptu Visit

_**I'm late. I know. I know I promised to write more this summer, but I've had a combination attack of procrastination and writers block. I'm going to try to do something, but I apologize in advance if this chapter is complete crap.**_

_**Also, in case you don't follow me as a writer, I wrote a Solangelo (Percy Jackson) one-shot, but I've been pressured to go off of that and turn it into an actual story, so I'm tossing around some ideas before I write up a story board. I know I said I would only try to write one story at a time, but having two actually is kinda nice. It's like having a back-up story to fall into.**_

_**Anyway, enough chit chat! Here's Chapter 8!**_

**Chapter 8: An Impromptu Visit**

Korra was sick. And not one of the "oh it'll blow over soon" sickness. No, Korra was out for the count. She was immediately sent to bed after she finally called a doctor, who demanded rest and lots of fluids. It was now day two of her horrid house arrest, and Korra was bored out of her mind. She had tried working and studying, but that only lead to her getting a headache and having to lie down. Even after she had lied down, she felt nauseous, and promptly threw up into the waiting bucket next to her bed.

She thought about how she had managed this long. She felt like she was going to die, and just getting up to get water made her want to pass out. She needed help, and soon. She didn't have the luxury of a roommate, and she hadn't really made that many friends. Well, other than Bolin.

That was the other thing. She really liked him, but she was still hesitant to let anything happen. She thought back to when she had first experienced this feeling of longing, and realized it was back when she first met her ex, Chad. When she had first met him back in her freshman year of high-school, he was captain of the football team, and while handsome, not as popular. Football strangely wasn't that big of a deal down in her hometown, but maybe that's because there weren't that many guys willing to play. Most of them occupied themselves by preparing to take over their parent's business, and while all went to high-school, few went to college. Chad was of the former group, sadly. He knew that Korra's path led her to college, and though he knew that they eventually would have to call it quits, he still made sure she was happy. She missed him, she missed the warmth he would give off when they cuddled on the cold nights.

Perhaps that was why she was too shy to get to know Bolin better. She still felt a lingering attachment toward Chad, and while _he_ had been the one to end it, she was the one who felt guilty about leaving him. She felt bad leaving him alone there to face the harsh winters without comfort. The winters were the worst, since Chad's business was to take care of the local crops, which thrived in the spring and summer.

Korra shook her head. She had to stop thinking about this. He had broken up with her after all. They were done. Finished. She moaned in pain as she felt another wave of agony erupt from her head and quickly rush down to her stomach, which in return wrenched, causing nausea to flood her body. Korra closed her eyes and just rode the pain out. She needed help. She groaned and reached out to her phone, quickly dialing Bolin's number. He was the only one in her phone close enough to help her, and even though she felt a little bad asking for help during the middle of exam review week, she pressed the call button. After a couple rings, the deep but light voice answered.

_Korra? Are you alright? It's 2 in the morning._

"Is it?" Korra rasped, glancing at the clock. "Were you sleeping?"

_Yeah, but it's fine. Are you ok? No offence, but you sound terrible._

"Um, no. I'm in pretty bad shape," Korra chuckled painfully into the phone. "I was wondering if you could help me out…" She trailed off, exhaustion getting the better of her as the phone slipped from her hands. She cursed silently as she reached down, but instead of grabbing her phone, she just tapped the speaker phone button.

_Yeah, I'll be on my way as soon as I get dressed. Is there anything I can get you on the way?_

Korra just groaned in response before throwing up again into the bucket.

_Ew, that's nasty. I'm on my way now, and I'll grab you some stuff. Don't die on me, ok?_

Bolin's voice sounded more anxious now, whether it was because he was just more awake or genuinely concerned for her Korra couldn't tell, but she sighed, mumbling her thanks. She tapped the button to end the call and rolled onto her back. She closed her eyes and tried not to fall asleep.

Bolin wasn't expecting the call. In fact, he was expecting Korra to never want to talk to him again after what had happened. The memories had floated back in bits and pieces, but nonetheless he had figured out what had happened. After a period of embarrassment, he wondered how they would deal with it. He wasn't one to just let things slide, and he didn't want this to become a stumbling block in their friendship.

Over the past semester, he had acknowledged his drinking problem, and had contacted Tenzin about it. Even though he was underage, Tenzin just shrugged it off, saying that it was common amongst college kids. Tenzin did want him to quit, however, and gave him the idea of song writing as another way of coping with his pain. The process of song writing was strangely fun and therapeutic, and although Bolin didn't consider himself a musician, he loved strumming his guitar and humming some of the songs he had written.

The night before Korra had called, he had been writing a little to cope with stress. He was always stressed out, but this time was different. He was overwhelmed with school, with the upcoming winter exams and different papers flooding his desk and mind. To add to it, Bolin had finally bought himself a car (with permission from Tenzin of course), but had underestimated the amount of car payments and auto insurance bills that were soon filling his mailbox. A good half of his once orderly desk was now covered in envelopes, and the other half was covered with school work and text books. He was managing alright financially; he had taken a job in construction that was paying enough. Something about digging his hands into the dirt made Bolin feel… comfortable. Sure, work had its fair share of stress, but it was the proper amount. Not like school.

Kai was doing much better. He hadn't taken the harder classes that Bolin was taking, which meant he had less homework and more free time. He was popular amongst the ladies, and despite his being much younger than the required, he managed to slip into bars and convince women of different ages to buy him drinks. He was only 14, yet he had handled the stress of school very easily. He sweet talked the smarter girls to give him study guides and smoothly persuaded others to buy him coffee. Maybe it was the school-boy persona he had going for him. Whatever it was, Bolin decided he didn't care. He wasn't responsible for the wellbeing of his younger roommate, and he had no intention of bailing Kai out of something he had no interest in. Both of them kept to themselves, their only interaction being the small talk they had in the morning during breakfast or when they were relaxing on the couch. Bolin thought of the boy as a younger brother, but what Kai did was his own business. So, Bolin let Kai leave when he want to leave and do what he wanted to do.

Bolin had slept a little that night, partially due to general insomnia, but mainly due to the fact that he had work in the morning. He had to get up and work at the site from 7:00 in the morning to around 3:00 in the afternoon. He didn't have his usual evening classes that day, so he decided now was a good time to catch up on some much needed sleep. He collapsed in his bed after a quick shower and fell asleep. He was awakened at some unearthly hour to the sound of his phone ringing. He grumbled as he grabbed his phone, but his eyes widened when he saw Korra's name on the front. Was something wrong? Was she in trouble? Bolin just stared at the screen for what seemed like an eternity, but snapped out of it. He still needed to answer!

Ten minutes later, he found himself in his car heading toward the pharmacy. When he arrived, he quickly grabbed some pills and some a sports drink, knowing that it would help her stomach. He walked back toward the front and spotted some flowers. Should he buy them for her? Bolin stood there for a moment, debating in his head. Would it seem too forward? Would she even like them? Before he knew it, he had already bought them and was in his car headed to her apartment.

He knocked loudly on the front door, expecting her to be asleep. To his surprise, he heard a voice call out "It's open!" followed by a loud groan. He shrugged and opened the door, only to be met with Korra collapsed on the floor in front of the door.

"Korra!" he cried out, "Are you alright?" he hurriedly set down his bags and flowers to reach down and picked her up bridal style and carried her to the couch. She was burning up! He quickly went to the kitchen and got her some ice-water.

"Hey Bolin," Korra murmured from the couch. She was in bad shape, and she felt awful. She had collapsed in front of the door after she had remembered that for Bolin to get in, the door had to be unlocked. She had struggled to complete the simple task, and after she had finished, collapsed on the floor in exhaustion, and was barely aware of Bolin's arms wrapping around her and picking her up. She had heard only the rapid thumping of his heart as her head had rested on his chest, but the rhythmic noise soon faded away after Bolin had gently laid her down. She felt disappointed, but even her emotions were quickly silenced by her pain and aching.

"What did you do to get this sick?" Bolin asked worriedly. He propped her up with a few pillows before giving her the cup of water, which she sipped tentatively.

"I don't know, exactly," Korra replied softly, "I might have ingested something bad."

"Maybe. You look like you have a stomach bug," Bolin stated, standing up and frowning. He studied her sick frail body before bursting out into a grin. "Don't worry about it though. I'm here now and I'll take care of you until you're better!"

Korra smiled weakly. "Thanks, Bolin, you didn't have to do this."

"It's fine. I needed to get out of the house anyway. And I can do school work here, so don't worry about me. Don't worry about anything! I wonder if that'll make it worse…"

Korra sighed with comfort, well, as much comfort as one could derive despite the circumstances. She enjoyed Bolin's little ramblings. Most of the time they were funny, but there were a couple times where Bolin had ranted about school or Kai. This time, she simply smiled and laid back down, setting the cup on the coffee table before resting her head on the pillow. Bolin stopped mid-sentence before smiling weakly at her, apologizing through his eyes. He grabbed a blanket from a nearby chair and tucked Korra in.

"Try to get some rest. I'll go grocery shopping in the morning," Bolin whispered.

"Ok. There's a spare room down the hall…" Korra muttered before falling asleep. Bolin stood up and walked into the spare bedroom before collapsing on the bed himself. He hadn't realized how exhausted he was, and soon he too fell asleep.

_**Wow. So Korra's sick. This will probably carry over into the next couple of chapters, but we'll see. And yes, I'm aware that Bolin probably should have taken Korra to her bed instead of leaving her on the couch, but who else would be thinking straight at that hour? And I'm sure the couch is comfy…**_

_**Thank-you to all those who left the comments and reviews! Those literally make the day of any author, so keep them coming! Next we'll dive into the world of Kai, and check up on him. Yeah, he's a 14 year old kid in college, which will make for something interesting. **_

_**Go check out my friend's Solangelo fics! Her pen name is urgross and she's super good at writing! Check her stories out and tell her I sent you!**_

_**Until next time (which I promise won't be forever)!**_


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